Blue Jays: Trade Targets From Teams Already Out of Playoff Contention

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have been playing better of late but are still eleven games back in the Wild Card standings. Talk out of Detroit suggests pending free agent infielder Jonathan Schoop, reliever José Cisnero, switch-hitting LF Robbie Grossman (signed through 2022), closer Michael Fulmer, and starter Matt Boyd could all be made available. While Schoop is hot, do the Blue Jays really need a RHH rental at 1B and 2B? Likely not.

While Fullmer and Boyd are both currently on the 10-day IL, 32-year-old righty Cisnero will be arbitration-eligible in 2022 and has been solid in late-inning relief with a 2.83 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 2.87 fielding-independent pitching (FIP), and 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings against 3.1 walks over 35 innings. He’s elite on average exit velocity, hard hit%, and fastball velocity.

Texas Rangers

The consensus trade targets on the cellar dwelling Rangers are closer Ian Kennedy and starter Kyle Gibson, who leads all AL starters with a 2.00 ERA and 224 ERA+.

Gibson is under control through 2022 and is owed approximately ~$14 million more on his contract, including bonuses. He wouldn’t be cheap in terms of acquisition cost, but he would  immediately slot in as a top of the rotation starter for the Jays and bump Steven Matz, Ross Stripling, and Alek Manoah in to more complementary roles in 2021. He’s an elite pitcher, featuring a 93mph fastball and an off-speed repertoire ranging from a 79mph curve and 83mph slider to  and 85mph changeup and an 89mph cutter. In terms of 3B targets, Charlie Culbertson is a free agent after the season, but isn’t an upgrade over Biggio and Espinal. Pass.

Kennedy converted to a relief role in 2019 with the Royals and has provided huge value to the Rangers this season after signing a minor league deal in February, with 14 saves and a 2.96 ERA in 27.1 high leverage innings. The 36 year old righty is still owed about half of his $2.15 million salary this year, but would be an attractive high leverage relief rental to boost the backend of the Jays’ bullpen. He features a 94mph fastball about 82% of the time with an 87mph changeup on about 9% of his pitches, although batters tend to hit him hard.